Hot Springs National Park

In this, the second of a two-part series on how the National Park Service manages its concessions, David and Kay Scott look at how facilities at Hot Springs State Park in Arkansas are being used for some untraditional purposes.

Just how does the National Park Service decide who will operate lodgings in the park system, and what uses are appropriate inside those facilities? In a two-part series, David and Kay Scott answer those questions.

This brilliant item showcases an uncirculated 2010 National Parks Quarter along with the vintage unused postage stamp featuring Hot Springs National Park. The colorful insert highlights this beautiful park and includes interesting facts and other educational features. The 4 x 6 inch hard acrylic case secures and protects the coin and postage stamp. The Hot Springs National Park Quarter is part of the U.S. Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters Program TM, and is the first quarter in the series. The park was established in 1832 and the quarter design proudly displays the ornate facade of the Hot Springs National Park headquarters with the foreground including an image of the fountain from which bubble the famous crystal-clear water of the hot springs. Actual stamp may vary based on availability.

Many of the nation's collectors and American history enthusiasts seek the added value of a pristine uncirculated quarter from each mint. As circulated quarters continue to be difficult to find, these collections will become a premium item. These collections feature both a P and D minted quarter affixed to a 5"x5" trifold card packed with interesting information, fascinating history and vibrant images. These collections make the entire series fit seamlessly together creating a comprehensive and valuable treasure for families and collectors alike. The Hot Springs National Park Quarter’s reverse shows the ornate facade of the Hot Springs National Park headquarters. The foreground includes an image of the fountain from which bubble the famous crystal-clear water of the hot springs. Hot Springs National Park was established in 1832 and is the first quarter of 2010. The quarter will proudly display a depiction of Hot Springs National Park and is part of the U.S. Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters Program TM.

How much is a national park worth? That's difficult to truly answer once you move beyond dollars and cents. But if you're sticking on the economic worth, you could say Hot Springs National Park is worth about $90 million to its surrounding communities.

When Mount Rainier National Park law enforcement Ranger Margaret Anderson was shot and killed on New Year's Day, she became the ninth ranger in the history of the National Park Service to be murdered in the line of duty, according to Park Service records.

Earlier this week we had a spirited discussion of whether the National Park Service needs to add a site to honor Cesar Chavez, who orchestrated the farm labor movement in the 1960s. That discussion nips at a larger question: Has Congress led the Park Service astray and turned it into a catchall agency?

The more than 200 national parks established to preserve nationally significant cultural-historical resources "tell America's story" by interpreting about ten broad themes that increase our awareness and understanding of what American culture is and how it got that way.

The list is long, more than 200 names stretching over a century and then some. It's a somber one, as well, tracking the deaths of National Park Service employees from a wide range of fates, from heart attacks to rockfalls to cold-blooded murder.

The United States Mint has released the list of 56 sites to be featured in the upcoming America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The first five coins in the new series will be released next year. What locations made the list? There are some familiar names and perhaps a surprise or two.

The Park Service insists that Hot Springs, Arkansas is violating the NPS trademark by using “Hot Springs National Park” in the city logo. The city has said that’s baloney. Now Interior Secretary Salazar says that he wants to see the dispute resolved amicably without damaging the National Park brand.

Spring arrived at 11:44 UT last Friday, March 20, so let’s make spring the key word for this week’s quiz. Answers are at the end. If we catch you peeking, we’ll make you write on the whiteboard 101 times: “The celestial coordinate system that employs the vernal equinox as the origin of the ecliptic longitude is known as the ecliptic coordinate system.”

With national park redesignation back in the news, this seems like a good time to remind Traveler readers just how nonsensical National Park System unit nomenclature has become. Why can’t Congress and the National Park Service put their heads together and come up with a designation system that actually makes sense?